Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-04-03
THE +" DEL MONTE
Totally Burned in a Mid,
night Fire.
A SPLENDID STRUCTURE GONE.
Three Hundred aud Fifty People
Going Wild in their En-
deavOrs to Escape.

MONTERREY, Oal AprLl '-lho iooo
Del Monte was discovered to be on fire
shortly before midnight last night
Everything was dons to save it, but
without success. The magnificent hote
is q total wreck. No lives were lost
There were nearly $50 guests in the ho
tel. mostly Eastern people. The fire
was discovered quick enough to give al
an opportunity to escape. Most of the
people lost all their trunks and clothing.
Those who were not overcome by fright
saw, their jewels and money. They all
- .ddled together in the grounds, where
they had to shiver all night, many hav'
ing on nothing more than their night
clothes. The heat from the flames kept
them warm for time, but as the flames
died out many ladies suffered severely
from cold. All who could sought refuge
in 9th er hotels, and arrangements have
been made by the ra ilroad company to
take them to San Francisco as early as
possible this morning.
The fire Was discovered about IL P. M,
under the basement in the battery room.
The alarm was given at once, aud the
gas cut off at the main tanks. The
building had water pipes all through it,
arranged in such manner that in case
of fire the building could be flooded
from top to bottom. No sooner was the
fire discovered than the water was
turned on, but all efforts to save the
building were in vain. The alarm was
given in the town as soon as the fire was
discovered, and ten minutes afterwards
the Monterey fire department was on
the premises and had two streams on the
building. The water press ure was poor
and at times could not throw the stream
higher than ten feet. The firemen
worked hard. Several times they were
driven back by the flames and had to
retreat. The Hotel Del Monte fire de-
partment also did good work. Being a
wooden building, 1t was not half an
hour before the main part was com.
pletely in flames. Meanwhile the men
work ed hard, ramoving what furniture
they could. There were about three
hundred and fifty guests in the hotel,
and such scene as was witnessed when
the alarm was given will never be for
gotten.
People went wild in trying to escape.
Men and women could be seen running
out from all directions in their night.
clothes calling for some one to save them.
They were taken to the club house and
provided with blankets. Wagons were
procured and they were e'broughtinto
town where willing hands were ready to
receive them. They are all stopping
around town in hotels and private
houses, and, as far as heard from, no
lives were lost. 1t was reported that an
old gentleman and one of the chamber.
maids had perished, but later investiga.
ton has found it to be untrue. Consid-
other articles were eaved, but every.
thing is damaged to a great extent. They
had no time even to dress themselves,
and thousands of dollars worth of dia-
monds and jewelry were consumed.
The hotel belonged to the Southern
Pacific Railroad Company, and was con.
sidered the handsomest watering place
hotel in America. 1t cost $3.50, 900 and
was not insured. 1t had just passed
into the management of Geo. Schone'
wald, late of the Palace Hotel. Three
hours after the alarm was given the en-.
tire building had burned to the ground
and all that could be seen was the brick
chimneys standing erect. To-day the
Hotel Del Monte is a mass of ruins.
Water pipes through the house were
bursted and it was impossible to get
q stream of water on any part of
the building. Had it not been for the
water pipes through the hotel bursting
the firetneu could have saved a
part of the building as they would
have had good pressure from
the hydrant 1t is estimated that one
million and q half of dollars will not
cover the loss, as the insurance was very
small. A special train came down from
San Francisco to convey the guests to
that city. The safe has not been open
ed. 1t contains considerable money.
As to the origin of the fire several ru-
mors are afoat. Some claim that the
hotel was set on fire by some one en-
ployed in the building, and others claim
it was an accident.
Charles f Crocker, Vice. President of
the Southern Pacific Company. was
seen early this morning and said the
hotel would be rebuilt, as it had
proved very profitable investment.
SAN FRANCISCO, April Immediate.
ly on receipt of the news of the burn.
ing of the Hotel Del Monte at Monterey
this morning, the Southern Pacific Com
pany made prompt arrangements to
bring tho unfortunate guests to this city
The first train load arrived at ii BOA. NJ
and numbered about one hundred aud
fifty. The scene presented in richly
furnished coaches. of ladies with
disheveled hair, frightened looks and
clad scantily, was peculiar one. An
other train load arrived an hour later
bringing tho remainder OF the
guests who desired to come
Many interested friends and relatives
were at the depot to witnes;
their arrival. Some carried bundles
containing the necessary articles of wear
ing apparel with which to envelop th'
forms ofthose unfortunates who had beer
compelled to leave the hotel with0u
ceremony, while Others were present tc
assure themselves that their relatives
and friends had escaped unharmed
When the train pulled into the station
there was rush for the platforms of th
cars, and as the half-clad passenger
stepped off they found themselves ii
the arms of anxious watchers. Som
of whom were hysterical in their con
gratulations. For aSsast five minute
there was a general handshaking an
embracing, and the tired tourists wer
then hurried TO waiting hacks an
buses to be taken to hotels. A numbe
sought refuge at the Palace Hotel, bu
AZ that building is already crowded t
its utmost capacity, the unfortunate
found it impossible ia many cases
arrange for rsoas, and were obliged :
seek quarters in other hotels An
boarding places in the city
Tho nsjority Of the ladies wei
wrapped in blankets, with veils
ssarfs about their heads and slippers
their feet. These guests who had lo
~, ontrHa